The goalkeeping situation at FC Barcelona, which has enjoyed relative stability for almost a decade, is subject to a lot of uncertainty currently.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen missed almost the entirety of the last season due to a knee injury, and in his absence, Inaki Pena and Wojciech Szczesny started for Hansi Flick between the sticks.
For the upcoming season, the Catalans are looking to sign another goalkeeper and have been closely linked with the RCD Espanyol goalie Joan Garcia.
If he arrives, the Spaniard will very likely be the starter for Hansi Flick next season, which makes Ter Stegen’s position in the team highly uncertain.
Ter Stegen confirms his stay
In this context, the German goalkeeper addressed a press conference while being with his national team, and addressed some questions about his future.
As Mundo Deportivo has reported, Ter Stegen did not appear too concerned with Garcia’s potential signing, and ensured that he will remain at Barcelona for the next season:
“Do the rumors that the club wants to sell me affect me? No one has spoken to me about this, so I’m unaware of the situation. It doesn’t concern me. I know I’ll be at Barcelona next year.”
In this regard, the Blaugrana captain also ensured that he has not had a talk with Hansi Flick:
“I haven’t spoken with Hansi, and there hasn’t been any contact in recent days because I don’t see any reason for it at the moment. Nothing has happened that would justify a conversation. Honestly, the focus right now is here.”
Ready for more competition
Ter Stegen reminded the journalists that at this point in time, only he and Pena were the first team goalkeepers for the next season, as Szczesny has not yet extended his contract:
“If I remember correctly, and unless something new has happened in the last few hours, we only have two goalkeepers for next season, Iñaki and I. So basically, we’re competing for the position, and it’s between Iñaki and me.”
“Whoever comes in will always have to deal with that competition, no matter what. Any player, in any position, has to face that. The same thing happened in recent years — we had great goalkeepers who also came in with big ambitions. And that’s how it should be.”
About Barcelona’s pursuit of Garcia, the German was clear that it is quite natural, as the Catalans always want the best players:
“We always want to sign the best players. That’s our goal. Whether it’s for the goalkeeper position or any other position, it makes no difference to us. As for me, it’s always the same: I always want to give my best, I always want to be on the pitch, and I’ll do everything I can to achieve that in the future as well. I think that while I’ve been playing, I’ve performed well over the past few years.”
Ultimately, the German goalkeeper was ready for any competition that he might have to face next season:
“It’s a situation that has come up now. But I have to say this is normal. Barcelona is probably one of the biggest clubs in the world, and there’s always competition, no matter the circumstances. That’s why it’s natural for Barcelona to always look to grow and improve — and I understand that clearly. I’ll always try to give my best.”
There is no doubt that with Joan Garcia’s arrival, ter Stegen’s situation would be quite complicated, as he would not be playing a lot of minutes. But for now, it remains to be seen how this situation develops in the future.
